Not A Soul Will Know
by Tigereyes45
Summary: Benjen goes looking for his sister to see if she had escaped capture after the prince has gone looking for the knight who had mocked the tourney. The sight he sees is not one he expects. So he runs, but is caught and stuck with a very tough decision. Then again, it wasn't much of a one anyways.


"Benjen!" He heard her shouts but he pushed them far from his mind. What he had just seen could not be what he had just seen. Willing his feet to go faster and carry him farther away. She always had been faster then him so when he feels her hands on his shoulders and felt her trying to twist him, Benjen struggled.

"Benjen!" She was shouting his name as he fought to be free from her grasp. "For the old gods, stop Benjen!" Lyanna demands as she shakes her brother still.

He looks into her eyes and saw the wildness father had always spoken of. The blood of the wolf was evident in her grey eyes as he saw the storm beginning to form within them. Her hair was tossed and out of place. His eyes replaying the scene of the pale, sickly white hands running through them. He pushes her away, hoping his own blood would be wolf enough to fend her off.

As she lands on her bum Lyanna fixes her gaze on Benjen. "You saw nothing." She tells him, and he shakes his head.

"How could you do that?"

"Do what? Have fun? Fall in love?"

"He's married, and what about Robert? You're betrothed." Benjen argues.

"Robert can not keep to any one woman's bed." Lyanna states as she looks back to the path they had come running from. No sign of the prince. He had left Benjen in Lyanna's hands. "And the prince may be married, but it was not a marriage he chose."

"What of their children?" Benjen asks begging his sister to see reason. To understand the madness of it.

"It would not be the first time a king or a prince has re-wed and had an entirely different family. Those children of hers will still live and hold rights, but ours will be ones he loves." Lyanna explains to her little brother as she gazes back at him. Steel grey eyes meet a concern pair of blue. There would be no reasoning with her but he pleas once more, as his sister stands.

"Lyanna please cease this madness. You know him not. The two of you have just met and may never see each other again." He reaches out to help her.

Lyanna smacks his hand away. "You are wrong." She growls. "You will not tell anyone. Not Brandon, or Eddard, or even father and mother."

Benjen shakes his head. He would not go against her. If their family found out she would be shamed and the crown would be angered if his father decided to take the problem to him. Allegations will be thrown and doubt. Robert may end their betrothal and Eddard would be upset by that. He actually seemed to believe Robert's feelings for Lyanna. Benjen and Lyanna saw better. Robert was much like Brandon and both men Eddard had a tendency to idolize and ignore their faults.

"I won't tell." Benjen agrees. His sister nods and as she walks away he fears he may have just lost his last tie to the older Stark. He stands still, rubbing his arms, and trying to heal his hurt pride. She disappears into the trees. Never once looking back, or grinning her wild grin back at him. No, she was gone. Deep down his instincts tell him he should break his word and tell someone, anyone of what he had bare witness to, but another half told him he couldn't for then she would truly be lost to him. Benjen held onto the childish belief that all would be alright, as long as secret were kept, and time given.

"Benjen! Where have you been?" Brandon asks as the wolf pup joins the festivities once again.

Benjen looks up at his jovial older brother. He gives him what he hopes is a real smile, and spends the rest of the night trying to avoid his family. Dancing had never much been his talent so no one took much notice as the wolf pup would slip in and out of the doors to the hall. Spending much more time outside rather than in. Or that his eyes always seemed just a small tint redder whenever he would come in and join the drinks. Those who did take notice casts whispers of it being he's a northern. 'They always prefer the outdoors.' A southern drunk whispers rather loudly. 'He's only had too much to drink. The wolf pup must not drink much.' Another infers. Benjen allows them to think what they will. He never saw Lyanna. Even as he slunk away back to his tent in early retirement he was given no sign of his sister's presence. A short prayer to the old gods and they grant him the peace of deep sleep.


End file.
